Tribes of Remnant
by lief90
Summary: The Old Federation is torn by war with the Kingdoms as the relentlessly assault them to near extinction. The Federation was forced to split into four tribes and fled all around the world where their names faded into myth. Now a new generation takes up arms against to roaring tide of technological advancements by the Kingdoms. Old friends come giving the Tribes a choice.
1. Chapter 2

Prologue

When man first began to fight Grimm, there were once a great people of the land, their warriors were the strongest in the world and they crafted soul stones but what is commonly known as dust. While they prided themselves on the their fighting prowess they did have a more spiritual side that to their beliefs they never sought open conflict with their neighbors. However the world became dark with unknown and terrible beings, they raided and destroyed all of man's settlements outside their natural barriers anyone who went to look for the survivors also disappeared. Because the settlements were so close to the Federations borders the other Kingdoms naturally assumed that they were the cause of their people's destructions and demanded retribution from them. The Federation refused saying that they were not responsible for the attacks and offered to look for the citizens themselves. At first the Kingdoms seemed like they were going to allow it but then a mysterious figure approached

He said, "Why should we believe what these people of a land wrought with the ideas of animals and nature itself having souls and they who manipulate the weather with their so called 'magic' and not to mention that they are the only human people close to the Faunus, maybe its them who is the real culprits," his words were venomous with a dark melancholy that didn't fit with his normal satire, "They would have you believe that they didn't see what actually happened to the settlements that were so close to their own borders! When they have the means and have been monitoring them for years! ladies and gentlemen that is a LIE!" All the Kingdoms believed the words of the stranger who for whatever the reason no one could remember which Kingdom he comes from or how he seemed to just show up at the right time out of shadows. But there were a few in the Kingdoms who voiced feeling a strange aura coming from the man but all were ignored.

No one knows for certain what happened after that some say war broke out and others say the Federation fled to some distant land. All that is for certain is that they were fractured and split before disappearing all together.

Old Legends New Adventures

The wind howled on the mountain side as the blizzard raged across the steppes, no normal person would have survived alone in the storm however he was no ordinary person and neither were his friends. They raced throw the snow as fast as their reindeer could carry them. "Come on guys we've got to hurry before they shut the gates on us!," the lead rider yelled back to his companions. "Well maybe we wouldn't be in such a rush if someone didn't want to take so many lunch breaks," cried the rider to the left.

"Oh come on Bly! You wanted to fight every Beowulf pack we ran into!" remarked a feminine voice under her cowl. Bly was a tall girl with copper skin and spiky black hair wearing a wolf fur poncho and leggings with boots. She wore gloves and had a beautiful smile and brown eyes and she could even be called feminine if she wasn't such a tomboy.

"That's because it's the best part of the trip!"

"Not everything has to be about fighting I already get enough of that back home," the two riders exchanged verbal assault on each other for a while until the leader yell for them to knock it off.

"Oh for bucks' sake would you two give it a rest already! You are literally yelling louder than the wind!"

"But she-," they both exclaimed but the leader cut them off "guys seriously!? The only reason you're arguing right now is to drive me up the stream!"

"Aw he figured it out Aiyana." The girl Aiyana was the same height as Bly and same complexion, she had her black hair in two braids on the side of her face and the rest flowed down and wore a skin tight reindeer fur tunic and leggings with leather boots with steel wood bracers and knee guards and her bow blade and quiver on her back.

"Well then I guess we're just going to have to punish him later." Oh how he hated their tricks but couldn't help but smile and laugh by the antics of his two friends. The boy was shorter than his two friends and his complexion was a little whiter olive color, he has short but full spiky hair that would look wavy, he wore a wolf tunic and leggings with black bone boots with the tips to a point that extend to the knees and black bone gauntlets with the fingers sharpened to points as well, but only wore hard leather chest armor. His eyes however were the most striking feature his right eye was a deep blue and his left was a crimson color.

They neared a giant hole in the side of the mountain at first glance could be mistaken for a cave however the hole was square shaped going deep into the mountain. The riders could begin to make out the yellow glow of the soul rocks and the silhouettes of the warriors guarding the entrance.

"You are late, we were about to close the gates and let you young ones freeze to death." said the guard leader who wore a thick cape made from reindeer hide, his eyes were covered by leather goggles with black horizontal rectangle eye holes, a thick shirt with long sleeves and leggings his black hair was covered in frost and he was slowly creeping into his mid-life, he also wore over his clothes armor made out of bone and with leather straps the attire the guard leader wore was common among the war band leaders. "Oh come on Maruk we were caught up in the storm you can't be that mad over that?" replied the rider leader.

"Kaliban your mother specifically said for you to be back before the storm hit what exactly were you doing out there?"

"Huh oh um you see." Kaliban may be able to talk to his friends easily but he could never handle talking to figures of authority such as the war band leaders, the elders, and worst of all, his own mother but that's pretty much everyone. "We were hunting Beowulf packs," Bly said with glee while twirling around her spear sword. To Kaliban's dismay that was entirely the opposite thing they were suppose to do.

"Sigh, all of you get inside now," hefting his war mace on his shoulder walked back to the side to begin closing the gate.

"Yes sir," everyone said in unison

"Bly what the buck! Why did you tell him that," Kaliban did not want to have this conversation with his mom.

"Your being paranoid Ban-Ban," he hated it when she called him that, "there's no way you would get in trouble 'oh great prince of the Lost Federation,' and besides you'll be running the place pretty soon so why shouldn't you have random dangerous fun." Random and dangerous yes, fun no, if only she realized how deep in the wolf den she just threw his a-

"KALIBAN!" now what?

A man looking to be in his late mid-life was approaching the group of riders with a scowl across his wrinkling features and his graying hair combed back with a bronze circlet with a soul stone imbedded in it symbolizing that he was one of the tribal clan elders. He wore a long thick parka with leggings and fur boots and gloves and his clothes were adorned with glass beads, dyed animal bones and a worn breastplate made out of hard steel oak wood that grows on the west side of the mountain. "Where have you been the Grand Chief was just about to send half the tribe to look for you, which just so you know I voiced against it hoping the storm would have taught you a lesson that not everyone needs to die looking for a—."

"Yeah what? I couldn't hear over the reindeer's hoofs, sorry I can't stay to chat but I think my mom wants to see me, so see ya!"

"Hey I'm not done talking to you! You disrespectful brat!" But the riders already took off and headed straight for the stables.

"Man what is up with your dad Aiyana he sounded more angry than usual," Bly ask the dark haired girl next to her.

"He just doesn't like it when our future leader does stuff that 'he' thinks is inappropriate."

"Ya well I think when I'm Chief, he's going to be the first guy to go," Kaliban chimed in, he really did not like the elder and the feeling was mutual.

"Come on Kal you now he's just looking after the well being of the tribe."

"Well he's not; he thinks he's the only one to constantly worry about our future. He needs to see mom give me one of her cold lectures and then we'll see who's stressed." Only Grandmother knows how bad the lectures get. As Kaliban led them to the stables the trio dismounted outside and handed their rides to the stable hands to get fed and cleaned but not until after Kaliban's reindeer who he named Coal due to the strange black color of her hair got an apple that she always got at the end of a journey.

They walked to the opening of a cave whose opening was only four stories tall and wide enough so large groups of people could move through it at once. Inside, it opened up to a giant natural cavern that should have seemed completely dark if it wasn't for the huge soul stone that hung from the ceiling to light the whole cave and of course smaller ones scattered around the rock houses. They continued to walk down the path passing by other warriors and tribesmen and women, while children played with the wolves under the watch of their parents. They were called a tribe but due to the vastness of the cavern have allowed them to expand greatly and in modern terms be called a medium sized city. The streets were full of life as people moved about their daily lives, and there was a big hole in the ground on the south part of the cave that was turned into a sparing and training area for the warriors of the tribe, though the younger ones use it as a hangout spot and watch the older ones fight and place bets. Due to the fact the tribe hasn't fought in any major engagements except for the small skirmishes they've had with the Grimm the younger generations started to grow lax over the years and even questioned about all the training they do.

The group continued to pass the craftsman district, the war band halls, and the shaman hut but not without nodding in respect to the old man sitting on a chair outside telling stories to a sitting group of chrildren. Bly and Aiyana always liked hearing Shaman Wicasa's stories of their people and the legends of old. They crossed over one of the bridges that passed over the underground stream of water that was clean to drink and came from the east of the cave coming up to the north. All the houses looked similar with the same square shape and that the ones closer to the sides of the cavern began to stack up on each other like blocks as they were carved from the rock. They had wooden doors and shutters and had a fur pelt hanging from the main window with the symbol of that house's family. There were also ladders and stone steps to get to the higher houses.

"'Sniff, sniff' ooh I smell pie." Aiyana said as the aroma hit her and nowing exactly how to cheer up a certain someone.

"What!? Where!" Kaliban exclaimed excitedly as he too could begin to smell the delicious pastry

"I think it's coming from over there—; hey! Kal! Wait up!" as soon as she pointed in the direction of the smell Kaliban took off like an arrow towards the area it was coming from. He dashed like a madman accidentally running several people over and stepped on the tail of a wolf that was napping in his path. All the while he never once realized that he was running towards a very familiar building that was bigger than all the others and had a rounded dome with the roof colored blue that reflected the light from the soul stone in the ceiling.

"Ban-Ban! I don't think you want to continue running that way," Bly tried to warn her friend as soon as she realized to late where the scent originated from. Whelp he's screwed she thought while she and Aiyana stopped in their tracks and ran with all their speed in the other direction. He ran into a courtyard in front of the big building and in the middle of it was a table with some pie on it. Kaliban was just about to lunge for it, but as soon as he got close a war axe came out of nowhere and smashes the pie cutting the table in two. The boy jumped back startled and looked up to see who just tried to take his head off.

"Hey! Who-, Uh Oh," the man who attacked him belonged to the most elite war band in his tribe and essentially the guardians that protect the Chief and his/her descendants, the Black Bone. Men and women whose skills are only surpassed by the Chief they have the honor of training the next heir. Like their name suggests they wear black dyed fur ponchos, leggings and boots, but they also wear burned black bones that make them harder for armor that covers their entire bodies from their head to their toes and where full face animal skulls as helmets.

"Heh heh, hey Crutix how's it going?"

"The Chief has ordered us to punish you for being so late and thought the current strategy would get your attention." The warrior signaled for the others to appear out of their hiding places. Kaliban was completely surrounded; there may have been some glimmer of hope if it was just one but there were just too many and they blocked any means Kaliban had to escape.

The battle started when the leader yelled "Let's Play!" and the warriors charged the young man with spears, sickles, hatchets, axes, clubs, and shot at him from a distance with arrows. Kaliban pulled out his wolf hammer and blocked the first blow of a spearman but had to roll out of the way as another warrior came up behind him, trying to hit him with his war hammer, at the end of the roll he jumped up and twirled over another and landed a kick to the back of the head. He tried to continue the combo by smash his wolf hammer on a taller Black Bone but the man caught it in his bare hand and wretched the weapon from his hands.

A female warrior came from the right side and tackled the boy to the ground but Kaliban managed to roll on his back, placing both feet on the assailant's chest and kicked her off him and she flew landing on two others. As he got up on his feet he began to dodge swift strikes from another woman the same height but was armed with a hatchet and a long serrated knife.

"Well, at least your skills seem to have improved since the last training session you had with us." Crutix complemented on the sidelines though he was beginning to pull something from his belt.

"Oh you know gotta look good for the ladies." Kaliban remarked as he grabbed both arms of the warrior and twisted throwing her over his shoulder at a wall. The woman hit with a thud, but due to her armor began to get up again.

"I do know." Crutix began to twirl the thing he pulled from his belt, which turned out to be a bola made from leather for the strings and three soul stones for the weights. The stones crackled with electricity; the leader was just waiting for the right time before he ended the bout.

Kaliban noticed what the he was doing and tried to distances himself but as he focused on one danger he didn't see the warrior behind him; who grabbed him by the back of his tunic and tossed him up into the air. Crutix saw his chance and threw the bola with inhuman speed and hit Kaliban in the chest tying his arms, when the stones connected after spinning it release an electrical discharge that stunned the boy to the point where he could no longer move.

"Still not good enough to beat us, eh prince?" Crutix

"uuuhhh ooww ouch, let's stop." Kaliban pleaded as he could no longer take the pain with that lucky shot.

"Come, time to take you to your chief."

"Uh….. As the heir to the tribe I won't hold it against you if you let me go."

"Not a chance!"

Two male warriors that also stood on the sidelines on both sides of Crutix leaned down and picked up Kaliban like a ragdoll and hauled him to the big building. The group walked through the front doors and came to a desk with an attendant putting together some scrolls and reports that needed to be signed. The attendant was a mid-age woman who wore a long sleeve fur tunic and a deer hid skirt with leggings and had a steel chain with gemstones around her neck. She looked up and raised an eyebrow when she saw the warriors come through the door.

"Didn't you just get out of a meeting with the chief?" she asked the leader.

"Well it was more like she wanted us to pick her up something from outside." He gestured behind him to the two warriors with a distraught boy in their grasps with the electro bola still tied around him.

"Hmm I see go ahead then."

"Alright guys up the stairs, and I will be seeing you later."

"Just try not to be late again." The attendant gave the warrior a glare that made him hurry the rest up the stone steps.

"Man you are so whipped." Kaliban smirked

"Hey when you get married I'd like to see how easy it is for you to keep your woman happy."

"Ya; well I still won't be as whipped as you."

"Hmph, we'll see." The group continued to walk up several flights of stairs, the building had 5 floors but they stopped on the third level because the top two floors were the home and living space for the Chief and his/her family with bedrooms and the wash rooms on the top floor while the kitchen, dining area and hearth were on the second floor. All the other levels were for official business, war meetings, and mercantile management with the Aak'kei tribe.

The third floor was a big open room with a large round table with a map of the entire region that had several scrolls parchments and drinking cups laying on it. Several chairs also surrounded it but one was made from white cedar wood and was more ornate and had a look of authority while the rest were normal brown oak. The two warriors that were holding Kaliban waited down stairs while Crutix walked up another flight of stairs and knocked on a carved wooden door that had a picture of a reindeer and a wolf fighting a wild bear. A young woman with pale skin was a wolf faunus with white wavy hair and red eyes but instead of just one animal feature which all faunas had she had a tail and wolf ears she had on a wolf skin tunic with fur bracers that covered her hands and went all the way up to her elbows, leggings with leather boots with heels that went up to her knees, and a long black wolf skin duster at the back that extended too her ankles.

"Hey Mira we picked up the Chief's errand." The girl nodded and closed the door, there was a quite murmurs and shuffling of feet then the tallest woman in the tribe opened and walked through the door. Standing at 6'7 the Chief was the tallest woman and warrior in the tribe with flowing black hair mixed with beaded braids and olive complexion. The woman wore a long fur dress with an upside down v opening from the waist down revealing fur leggings and boots that were similar to Kiaras. She wore a reindeer pelt for a cape that still had the skull attached so she could pull it over her head for a helmet; the weird thing about the cape was the set of eagle like wings that also protruded from the cape as well.

"Kaliban," the tall woman said with an irritated look as she walked up to the now frightened boy as she towered over him. Mira followed closely to the mother and gave her brother blank stares. _Oh great sis, is angry to_, Kaliban thought as he braced himself to get punched through a wall like always. "What took you; I and your sister have been worried sick." _Hey she didn't hit me, maybe she's not totally-;_ the chief with lightning speed brought up her heeled boot and kicked the ragdoll boy across the room to land on the map table. _Wishful thinking sucks._

"Crutix you may leave us."

"Aye, Chief."

"And as for you young man how, are we going to handle this."

"You could let me go with a small warning?" Kaliban's smart mouth will get him into serious trouble one of these days. His mother also didn't take kindly to it and grabbed his leg with one hand and spun him around in like a pinwheel.

"Aaaarrrgh! I'm going to puke." Kaliban screamed as his mom threw, him to Mira who brought up her boot and let him make contact with the force of the slamming him into the ground pinning him.

"Gah! Hey get off!" Mira leaned down and flicked one of the stones that sent another wave of electricity through his body but this time knocking him out.


	2. Chapter 3

Road Trip!

Kaliban was grumpy after his ordeal with the 'warm' reception he got yesterday. Mira was following him, they technically weren't blood related but she was taken in by the former Chief Kaliban's farther and was made a member of the family by an ancient blood ritual. She was older but not by much and taller which made him the shortest in the family and the 'man of the house' was always supposed to be bigger than everyone else. It earned him a great deal of grief that even though women were allowed to be warriors they still did most of the home business. Being shorter than his mother wouldn't have been a problem because she was Chief but the fact was that he was either the same height or shorter than most of the women in his whole tribe. Which made him the laughing stock of most of the males; especially the younger ones reminded him constantly, mostly hanging out with Bly and Aiyana also didn't help.

Speaking of those two here they come now.

"Hey Ban-Ban," Bly said as they walked up and she immediately went up and started stroke Mira's wolf ears that she can't help doing every time they meet.

"How did it go with the Chief?" Aiyana asked as she was munching on none other than a pie.

"Did you get salt for the wound with that?" Kaliban stared at the pie wanting it and also despising it as it was the bait for his downfall.

"Heh, well we tried to warn you but you were just too fast." Aiyana remarked sensually as she patted his head like a dog. Kaliban batted it away not amused. Man he hated being so short, if he was taller than she wouldn't be able to do that. Aiyana and Bly were both the same height as each other and half a head taller than Kaliban which they loved to tease him about as well but not to the degree as the guys would.

"So what happened?" Bly asked as she still petted the faunas' ear's who leaned down for her to get better access.

"Ugh mom had the Black Bones ambush me right outside the Hub and then she threw me around for a bit and has now ordered me to lead the caravan down south to the Aak'kei tribe."

"What; really? But you hate leading big groups of people even though you're the future leader."

"It's a responsibility that mom wants me to improve on and get used to it."

"Well than we'll tag along to; won't we Aiyana.

"Yeah but my insufferable twin is also part of the caravan." Huritt, Aiyanas twin brother and he and Kaliban used to be friends a long time ago when they were kids but the incident happened and they don't really talk anymore.

"Know anyone better whose coming?" Kaliban asked not wanting to get into another fight today.

"Everyone that's going is the young warriors going on their first mission. Do you know what we're going to be transporting?"

"Mom said fur, soul stones, weapon materials, and milk, while we're supposed to trade for spices, wine, fruit, and supplies. But she also wanted me to talk to Chief Honon about the Vale and all those warships that came." Kaliban was worried about all their recent activity was suddenly found out and the Kingdoms were preparing to finish what they started.

"Relax Kal, you are a great warrior but you're also a good negotiator I'm sure you'll have no problem talking to him."

"Yeah well, it still bugs me that we accidentally blew up that Schnee Company mining operation that we were supposed to scout out."

"Hey if they didn't want their toys to get broken then maybe they shouldn't have put it so close to the mountain." Bly retorted as she stepped next to Kaliban and put here elbow on his shoulder. "I mean we were going to kill all those guys anyway so what was the big deal if we did it early?"

"The deal Bly, was mom wanted to actually look through their computer systems to see if they had any other stations around but all those got wrecked in the fight."

"Oops." Bly was a little nervous that she might get punished as well because it was her fault Kaliban had to go and save her.

"Anyway we're leaving this afternoon and we'll spend the night at the Aak'kei and head back up the mountain in the morning. Head to the gate when you're ready, I got go talk to mom." After seeing; them walk off Kaliban and Mira walked through the streets with people walking about and receiving nods from the passing warriors they finally reached the place where their mother asked them to meet her.

The Grove of Bones was the burial area for warriors who died in combat defending the village while everyone else was burned on funeral pyres. Their mother was standing in front of a tomb all the way in the back that only the Chiefs were buried. She had something in her arms though the object was covered in a leather fur sheath; looked normal from afar as they got closer they could both see that it was almost as long as Kaliban was tall. The silently walked up to her and bowed.

"Hey mom what was it you wanted to see me about."

"Here." The Chief handed her son the object and was surprisingly light, like scary light, it almost weighed nothing in his hands as held it. But that shouldn't be, whatever it was it was taller than Kaliban at 6 ft. and there was a strange aura coming from it, it felt hot but didn't burn him and felt like there was an angry spirit trapped within. Kaliban's chief mark of white veins of a snowflake that went up his right arm and half of his neck began to glow and so did his father's wolf hammer that had a blue soul stone for the head.

"Kal," the Chief snapped him back to attention and put her hands on his shoulders. "This is a great gift forged by your great ancestor Kobal before the collapse; it can only be wielded by one of his blood and is a great heavy burden to bare."

"What is it?" Kaliban more intrigued and a little frightened by the responsibility about holding something so valuable.

"You will know what it is when it calls for you."

"What?" Ok now he's really not so sure.

"Don't let its power overwhelm you my son." Her voice went low to a whisper so that Kaliban could not hear her, but Mira did. Her wolf instincts had her standing on edge; she felt a danger coming from the object, but the feeling subsided as the object hummed and the angry aura faded away.

At the gate the caravan was getting ready to depart they were just waiting for their leader to get here.

"Come on what's taking them so long?" One of the warriors with good looks only to be marred by the claw marks on his left cheek and bad personality started to practice his hatchet throwing at a nearby stump. "If they're not here in 10 minutes we leave without them." But that only got him some scowling from all the other young warriors who were getting sick and tired of his arrogance.

"Huritt, you're not the leader of the group Kaliban is." Aiyana scolded him with hands on her hips.

"Bah, I'm twice the fighter he is." He retorted as he went over to pick up his thrown hatchets.

"But not the leader he is, or the respect he has; besides I seem to recall he beat you several times before."

"Yeah that may be true but I hear he doesn't even want to lead the tribe anyway so I say he should just—."

"I should what Wildaxe?" came the reply from Kaliban as he came up to the group of assemble warriors with Mira and the long object strapped to his back. The others gathered around him to great him with Aiyana and Bly.

"Hmph, nothing," the guy went to the back of the caravan and hoped into the coach to take the reins of the sled.

"Huritt tried to take command again," Complained one of the girl warriors clutching her spear.

"Hmm, well at least you all like me better."

"Yeah but not by much," they all shared a laugh before they got ready to go.

"Okay guys split up into teams of four and each take a sled."

"Right!" the group said in unison as they began to pair off there were 10 sleds so there were about 40 warriors total. Kaliban, Mira, Bly, and Aiyana have always been a team since they were kids so why stop now even though she wasn't with them scouting out the mine she had to help their mother with something. Kaliban mounted Coal who was nearby and watched as everyone got ready and mounted their sleighs and mounts. They're bringing along a pack of wolves that were very large than normal. They could sniff out danger miles away and they even were able to take on a Beowulf by themselves.

"We're ready to head out Maruk," He told the guard leader who simply nodded and signaled to open the gate. The caravan moved out with Kaliban and his team leading the way. They would head down south following the usual path to their only close fellow tribe as the other two ended up on different continents. The only contact they do have with them is the messaging system they have which is the only modern thing they have technologically. The Haitian and Aak'kei tribes both are in the confines of the Kingdom of Vale; though this was unusual as the other two tribes chose to completely isolate themselves on different continents.

They wouldn't get to the tribe until late in the evening and travel would be hindered by the usual run in with the Grimm, they should be attracting a lot more Grimm considering they're such a big group but the only time they do get attacked is if they actually go find the Grimm or the Grimm just see them by chance. The Grimm has no way of being able to sense the tribesmen unlike the normal humans of the Vale. Even if they do attack in a large force they would ultimately get wiped out due to the fact that the weapons and armor of the people are specifically made to kill and repel lethal blows. Still not all the tribesmen would get out alive if some of them were careless but they are defiantly harder to kill.

"How much longer?" Bly groaned as she got so bored with the trip that she began to stab her spear into the side of the sleigh.

"We should be there in an hour or so." Kaliban said looking over should to look at the rest of the caravan. He saw that some of the warriors were starting to get tired with the long move the have been on. "Let's stop here for a few minutes and take a break and rest the mounts." Everyone let out a sigh of relief as they began to dismount. But just then the wolves began to growl which made the reindeer tense up and become fidgety. Everyone looked in the direction the wolves were looking and to their surprise a large armored vehicle burst through the trees of the autumn wood and stopped right next to them on the left side of the path. The thing was huge with six wheels and what looked like a cannon on top. It was rectangular in shape but had dome shape window that jetted out. A door slowly opened in the back as a troop of soldiers came out armed with guns and swords. They wore black shirts with hoods and white leather vests and black pants, boots and gloves. They also wore masks over their faces though these were made out of metal and didn't cover their mouths. And on their backs was an insignia the tribesmen new all too well, a red Beowulf head with claw scratches over it.

The leader of the troops who wore the same outfit as the rest but his mask only covered half of his bottom face casually walked up and opened up his arms in a friendly gesture.

"Hello," he said "my my, it is a good to see you ancient friends." He spoke with a glint in his eye, one eye; the other was covered in an eye patch over his left. "I am Captain of this troop and bring humble tidings from my superiors." He continued to speak without realizing the sharp looks he was getting.

"What are the White Fang doing so far up north Captain?" Kaliban called out keeping a safe distance as he rode Coal to meet him, to show that he was the leader of the caravan while everyone else stood back.

"Oh don't be like that young prince."

"You know who I am?" That really set everyone on edge so much so that they drew their weapons. The White Fang aim their guns and raised their swords prepared to fight.

"Now now! There is no need for this, come let us talk in private." He walked over to the side far enough away so that he can still be seen but not heard unless he yelled. Kaliban still remained on coal and moved towards him he was still weary, he knew who the White Fang were and that the tribes want nothing to do with faunus after they aided them in a disastrous war 80 years ago.

"What do you want?"

"Why to request an alliance between the White Fang and the tribes."

"Why?" since when did the White Fang want help.

"We are gearing up for a large scale attack on the City of Vale and we could use the extra muscle." There it was, the faunas were looking to combine forces once again to fight the human Kingdoms.

"Why should we help you, have you forgotten what happened last time?"

"We never forget the strife of our great allies and wish you condolences for your suffering for all these years."

"We no longer suffer as you are no longer the peaceful people that you were."

"Ah yes but people must change to the environment that surrounds them. The tribes get to live peaceful lives while we now have to resort to violence just to be heard." The Capt. said with sorrow, he's coming off as charismatic which just annoyed Kaliban. "As the only people that we faunus actually have had good relations with felt that it wouldn't be right to exclude you in a great victory."

"More like great massacre, you White Fang aren't a military and have only been able to do terrorist attacks because you're so under equipped."

"Ah but you see that's where your wrong see that troop carrier back there, we've recently made a deal with some weapon dealers and they now supply the White Fang with all the latest in military gear and hardware." The Capt. said with pride, ever believing that it would impress the prince.

"So why do you need the tribes again? It sounds like you have everything planned out."

"Although you may have had the unfortunate luck to be forgotten by the rest of the world the faunus remember their friends and we remember in the old days when faunus and tribes fought side by side during the war." He was starting to tear up as he began to lament the tragedies of the Federation. "It was the faunus' fault that got you kicked from the lands that you settled on after the collapse and it is we faunus that will make it up to you by conquering Vale." This guy really likes to talk.

"And what would the tribes do and get in return for our help."

"I knew I would win you over, right now as we speak the White Fangs forces are gathering in the south east and are preparing to strike any day now." The Capt. showed him on a tablet the troop movements all in the south east of the continent. "While we attack from the south east we would like the tribes to attack from the north forcing the defending forces on a two front fight, splitting their defense. And in return for your help your people will get to be free again, be able to walk out in the open without fear of attack and you will get to share in the benefits of our conquests."

"What kind of opposition are we looking at?" Kaliban asked, still studying the map of the region.

"The Kingdom of Atlas sent over its new robot army to show case at the Vytal Festival and of course all the students visiting from the other Kingdoms have lead to Vale upping its defenses, along with the hunters and huntresses teaching at Beacon and Signal Academies."

"I'll have to talk to the Chief about it as this is a very serious issue."

"I see, well in that case; take this." The Capt. reached into his back pocket and pulled out a communicator and handed it to Kaliban who looked at the small device with interest. "Press the green button when you want to talk and the blue one to a accept calls, it's directly linked to my personal com channel so no pesky button pushing."

The two men walked back to the respective groups, some of the warriors got curious about the armored vehicle and got closer to talk to the White Fang members who also started to relax.

"I would like to expect a call coming saying you'll give us your support, but I will understand if you wish to stay out of faunas/human conflicts." The Capt. gave one last bow before ordering all his men back onto the transporter and left speeding down southward.

"What did they want?" Aiyana asked as Kaliban rode up to the caravan.

"They want the tribes help in assaulting the City of Vale from the north while they attack from the south."

"What!?" Everyone was shocked by the news and the young warriors looked nervous and started to fidget.

"Yeah! Let's go kill stuff and become the legends of old!" Bly the ever go ready for battle misogynist started to sharpen Fury with a wet stone.

"Kal no, the tribes can't get involved again that's exactly the reason we're hiding in the first place!" Aiyana was starting to get stressed as the situation was getting to large for her to handle.

"Relax Aiyana, I haven't given a reply yet but they want one pretty soon." Kaliban did his best to calm everyone, good thing it was only young warriors who knows how the adults would have reacted, though he still needed to cross that river when they get back. "I still wish I knew how they knew who we were and how they were able to find this path and know that we were coming." Mira came up and pointed in the direction the vehicle left and came from.

"Wait, they came from the Aak'kei tribe." Aiyana was now on the brink of passing out.

"Geez, Aiyana you don't look so good."

"It's just that she doesn't like to fight all that much." Bly replied as she tenderly started to rub Aiyanas back and led her back to the sleighs.

"So what now?" asked one of the older warriors, Kaliban knew that the younger warriors would be up for the fighting once the initial shock was over. They would do anything if it made their lives any remotely interesting, which will pose a problem of keeping order as there were more of them then him.

"We continue on with our main task and that's to get the caravan to the Aak'keis, see there." Kaliban point to some strange looking trees whose bark was a black color and the leaves were the color of crimson. "We're almost there this path leads straight to the hidden area where their tribe is."

"You think that the Aak'keis would join with the White Fang to attack the city?"

"I don't know. Though they can't act in the attack on their own, they will need our consent."

"If you ask me we should join the White Fang and kick those hypocrites out of here." Hurritt proclaimed as he joined in on a conversation that's all ready proving to be too controversial for him to handle. Kaliban sighed now knowing what was once a peaceful trip was now developing into a war march. He dismounted Coal and walked straight up to Hurritt who stood a goo head taller than him and gave him a death glare.

"Hurrit back off, I don't need you to start inciting conflict, and we don't need it, not right now."

"Why? scared, we're the strongest of the tribes and our peaceful life is starting to erode our once proud heritage, fighting is the only thing a warrior knows and as a warrior tribe we should be looking for ways to keep our spears sharp and our spirits strong." Kaliban was really starting to get mad now, his rage was always a problem but he hasn't felt this angry in a long while. The object began to hum as it sensed it.

"Hurritt it is not for you to decide what we do, the Chief is the only one able to authorize such a large scale assault; as prince I enforce her judgments and proclamations and do you know what she told me before we left?" Kaliban with all the training from the Black Bones made a swift upper-cut to Hurritt's chin and sent him flying backwards to land face first on the ground. Everyone who saw what happened, gasped in shock, this was the first time that they ever saw the prince strike someone outside of a fight.

"Kal!" Aiyana screamed as she ran up to roll her brother over; he had a bruise under his chin and was knocked out in the process. Aiyana got really upset and proceeded to go off on Kaliban for punching her brother for no reason. "You had no right to do that!"

"Really, I was just doing what my mom told me to do!" Kaliban's anger was starting to get the better of him and that humming in his ears was drowning all other words except his own and it was constantly getting louder.

"And what would that be!"

"To keep everybody focused on the task at hand by anyway I see fit!"

"Oh so you get to go around punching people whenever you feel like it!"

"When they their trying to get us into an unwanted fight!" Everyone took a step back not wanting to get in the middle of the fight. They all knew that Aiyana who didn't like fighting was the only one brave enough to get in his face and that Kaliban would never hurt her physically.

Mira had enough of the fighting and moved between them she pushed them apart. Kaliban protested as she grabbed him and hauled him away from everyone else while Aiyana helped her brother up and got him to lay down in one of the sleighs.

"What are you doing Mira?" Kaliban asked still fuming over what just happened. Mira cupped both her hands on his cheeks and stared with a worried expression. "Look I know you trying to look after me but I can handle it; I can do this." He said with certainty. Mira gave him a questioning look and her wolf ears flattened to her head.

"I know I haven't always taken the leadership position with gusto but I feel strongly about my position on this, the tribes can't go to war for no reason." Mira looked back at the group and especially at Aiyana and flicked him in the forehead. Mira sent some of her aura into him to calm him and the humming sound died down. Kaliban felt light headed all of a sudden as his mood changed so abruptly and staggered forward only to be caught by the faunus.

Kaliban put a hand to his face wondering what just happened. He was no longer angry and just felt empty.

"What happened….ugh I feel weird….Aiyana." Kaliban was back to being his normal self. He looked at Mira who stared back and gestured towards Aiyana whose face was still red from the fight but seems to have calmed down was still looking in their direction while everyone else went back to their sleighs and were waiting for their not so friendly leader at the moment to return.

Kaliban felt bad and walked up to Aiyana; Mera followed but gave them some room as she went and got into the lead sleigh.

"Aiyana, listen I'm sorry for my outburst I don't know what got over me." Kaliban lowered his head in shame. Aiyana looked at him for a moment and came up and gathered him up in a hug placing her chin on top of his head so his face was in the crevice of her neck.

"It's ok I know how my brother can get sometimes, plus we wouldn't be friends if we didn't fight." Aiyana sincerely while rubbing his back. "Short people are just naturally grumpy like you."

"What!?" Kaliban couldn't believe she would tease him after the fight they just had. In revenge he tickled her in the sides that made her burst out laughing as she forced them to fall onto the ground and began to wrestle, who new teasing could be so fun.

"Ya! Fight! Fight! Fight! Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!" Bly urged on her two friends.

"No! Bly!" The both yelled back.

"Awww."


	3. Chapter 4

Aak'kei Tribe

The caravan finally made it to the Aak'kei Tribe. Unlike the Haitian tribe which was hidden inside a mountain, the Aak'kei planted very thick trees around its borders so close together that not even an insect could get through. It's basically surrounded by a wall of trees and combined with the tribe's use of fire and water soul stones; with something extra they covered the area in a thick mist that cause illusions that trick the mind and makes anyone who wasn't welcomed by the tribe to wonder aimlessly until they end up back where they started outside their border or disappear completely. The thick foliage from the trees completely hides the tribe from above so no air ships could look down and see them.

The path that they were on lead to a corridor of thick trees; at the top of the trees where the branches fly out were man manipulated branches that create platforms and walk ways. The caravan could see several Aak'kei warriors on such platforms looking down on them. The Haitian use all organic materials to make their weapons and armor but the Aak'kei still use the art of forging metal weapons but they only make half their armor metal and the rest fur they trade with their sister tribe. The warriors; were just scouts and wore simple fur and leather clothing with metal vambraces and grieves. The Haitian that use bows for range are more skilled to the Aak'keis use of the wooden cross-gun, a long wooden gun stock with a metal barrel with an arcing bow across it with the string cutting into the barrel so it can move up and down it. The whole thing acts like a sling shot but with the capabilities of being able to shoot soul stones with the speed and accuracy of modern fire arms with an explosive payload.

The Aak'keis carved out their home from the huge trees that grow in the north, with one tree being able to hold a family of six but they were mainly down on the bottom of the tree. Up top they built wooden tree houses with bridges and ladders connected to each house. On the floor of the forest there was an area were the tribes forges were to make their weapons and tools and a lake was on the west part of village. Their training grounds

Their tribe was just as big as the Haitians but more inclined to go to war with Vale as it several times tried to expand its city north ward but failed. The caravan was escorted into a clearing with men, women, elders, and children all coming up to great them. The people of the tribe didn't cover themselves with fur as their climate didn't need that so they wore wool clothing, with leather boots, tuff hide pants, some kind of vambrace on their right arm signifying who their clan was. The majority of the warriors were male though like the Haitians, women could be warriors as well but they mainly prefer to look after their families as the husbands would be more active with hunting, fighting and scouting. Especially now that rumors of the White Fang wanting the tribes help in an assault began to spread throughout the tribe.

As the Haitian warriors started to unload the caravan, Kaliban had them begin to trade for the goods. Bly as always immediately ran to one of the kitchen trees to get some food with Aiyana in tow. Kaliban however had to go meet with Chief Honon and talk to him about the recent development with the White Fang.

"Hey chipmunk!" a voice came from nearby. Three Aak'kei warriors who were about the same age as Kaliban but of course they were taller him walked over to him. Two of them were boys and the third was a girl. The two guys were dressed similarly wearing brown shirts and leggings with steel chest armor, gauntlets, grieves, animal masks. The tallest of them; animal mask was that of a bear and had short black hair showing from the back. The second tallest animal mask was that of a jaguar and he had longer hair done in a combination of a pony tail and straight combed hair. The girl was about the same height as the second warrior but she wore no mask but had a tattoo of a hummingbird on the left side of her face. She had tan skin, black hair done in dreads, and had the bluest eyes Kaliban had ever seen. The girl wore a long over coat that hugged her features but opened up at the bottom to reveal wool leggings, the coat has armor plating on the sleeves, back, and front with leather gloves with steel knuckle busters, and steel boots with knee guards.

"Kitchi, Nahuel, Litonya how's it been?" Kaliban greeted them warmly. Whenever his came to the Aak'kei for meetings with their Chief and vise versa she always brought him along, lucky for the Chieftain also had children of his own which Kaliban could play with while they were in their meeting.

"Oh it's been interesting for the past several days with having to increase the patrols in the south in order to keep tabs with all the foreigners coming in." The one with the bear mask which was Kitchi said.

"Yeah the White Fang what our help with an assault on the City of Vale down in the south but we're not sure why. People have been on edge." Nahuel with the jaguar mask smirked at the circumstance. "If we did support them than we would probably get the short end of the stick and they still would need our help with all their self-righteous nonsense."

"I don't care if we don't help them or not the Vale needs to pay for what they did to us in the past." Litonya said with a snarl, even though her name meant darting hummingbird she had a fierce loyalty to her tribe and couldn't stand the mistreatment they have suffered since the collapse.

"Easy there little sis, don't go saying stuff that might haunt you later." The older brother Kitchi told her taking off his mask to reveal dark eyes with a big nose and a scar across his lips.

"Why should I, they've had it coming since they sided with the other Kingdoms even after they promised us protection."

"That was 300 years ago and as you know already all history relating to us in the kingdoms is written off as little more than legend."

"Yeah well when I get the Chieftain Mark I'll get to decide what we do, considering farther is being too lazy about the subject."

"Litonya, I'll admit has a point but with the fact that everyone other than the tribes have advanced technology, a full on war will lead to our permanent extinction." Nahuel also took off his mask and had the same blue eyes as his sister with the same features as his brother, minus the scar.

"The faunus still remember us." Litonya spoke up trying to convince her older brother to think her way.

"That's because they never listened to the councils or trust their history books; their knowledge of us is passed down through stories, music, and old tribal artifacts given to them to them as friends throughout their generations." Kitchi loved his sister but sometimes her warmongering would probably get her killed one of these days.

"Litonya, your tribe can't even attack the Vale without the support of the Haitian anyway." Kaliban spoke up hoping to try to dissuade her.

"This is why I won't stop until I'm able to convince you that this alliance with the White Fang is necessary." Litonya got really close to Kaliban looking dead in the eye; this made him nervous and was completely mesmerized by her piercing blue eyes.

"Whoa hey let's get rid of this bad air and have some fun like the good old days." Nahuel interrupted putting an arm around Kaliban's neck and Litonya's leading them around like dummies.

"Gek! I can't breathe." Kaliban forgot how strong Nahuel was called jaguar but he was more like a fox playing tricks and joking around.

"Brother, I think you should cool off our sister don't you?" Kitchi laughed at the situation. Nahuel got a smile on his face and steered his two captives towards the lake.

"Woah! Hey, what'd I do!?" Kaliban struggled to get out of Nahuel's grip not wanting to get wet. They were just on the edge of the lake when a voice came from behind them.

"What do you think you're doing little boy." The feminine voice came from Tiva the mother of the three warriors and wife to Honon the Chief.

"Hey mom, uh, I was just going to show my old buddy here the lake." Nahuel let go of Kaliban and patted his head. His sister was starting to bite his arm trying to break free but couldn't get past the metal gauntlet, duh.

"Well enough playing around for today, your father wants to meet with the prince to discuss recent events that I no doubt you've heard about already?" Tiva raised an eyebrow towards Kaliban.

"You mean the White Fang?" Kaliban's suspicions were confirmed the White Fang did come to the Aak'kei first; the problem with that however is how they managed to even find them through their mist defence.

"Yes; now if you would follow me I will take you to my husband. The three of you stay here." The mother told her three children as they tried to follow but stopped in their tracks at the order. Nahuel however still managed to toss his sister into the lake which caused Kitchi to burst out laughing and Litonya staring daggers back at her brother.

Kaliban followed Tiva all the way to the Grand Tree which was completely white but the, leafs were black and is the biggest tree in the forest. At the bottom were stone steps that spiraled up the tree to a huge platform. The duo silently walked up the stairs passing by civilians and the various warriors of the tribe. The warriors had more metal armor than the Haitian and the weapons were vastly different, some of them seemed to use swords, though not completely uncommon for both tribes, it was the first time they actually made them out of steel instead of stone, bone, and wood. The simple warriors wore normal leather shirts, leggings and gloves with metal armor nailed into the fabric. The elite wore full armor on their chests, gauntlets, greaves, and metal masks with various animal heads.

Once they got up to platform, Kaliban saw the big hut that was in the middle and was built around the trunk of the tree so the top would continue upwards. Kaliban liked the smell of the trees that reminded him of maple. They reached the Hut and there were two warriors standing guard outside. They both wore full faced helmets with ivory stag antlers coming out at the top; they wore full suits of armor that covered them to the heads to their toes in white steel, and only two openings for the eyes. The White Stags. _They're just like the Black Bones_, thought Kaliban as he remembered the Black Bones and Stags had a rivalry against each other, often competing to see who the best out of the tribes was.

The two guards bowed their heads and placed their fists over their hearts in salute to the two monarchs. Tiva waved Kaliban inside where it opened up into a big room with a fire place was carved right into the trunk of the tree but instead of fire it was fire soul stones that warmed the hearth so the Hut could be warm without the risk of fire. There was a map of Remnant carved into the floor with cushions circling it. One cushion was bigger than the others and was very ornate with beads and gold lining, and the material was black bear fur. The sides of the room had a weapon racks on the right and a long table with food and drinks; there was also a door on each side of the room leading to other areas which was similar to the Hub back home.

"Kaliban!" A booming voice came from the right, why was everyone yelling his name when he's only a few feet away? The Chief of the Aak'kei was a big copper skinned man of 7 ft tall and was very muscular. Straight long black hair fell on his back a green streaks could be seen running through his hair to symbolize his Chieftains Mark and wore steel chest armor with a bear head sticking out at the front. Only his right arm had a gauntlet that covered his whole arm and the tips of the fingers were sharpened to points while the left only had a leather bracer. He wore brown leather leggings with steel boots and knee pads. There was a leather duster around his waist in the back and extended to his knees. His face normal looking except that he had a large scar on the right side.

The big man bounded toward the ridiculously smaller boy and gave him a bear hug that would have crushed a boulder; the bear head didn't help either.

"My how time flies It felt like it's been a while since we last spoke." The man loved to laugh as his voice shook the very room.

"It…..was…..only….last…..month….let….go…Honon," Kaliban gritted through his teeth as this would be the second time his was choked to death. Honon extended the boy out at arm's length to look at him closer; this isn't what Kaliban had in mind as he was treated as a ragdoll again.

"My lad, have you grown taller since the last time I saw you?" Honon had the biggest grin on his face.

"Oh, well you know growth spurt happened-hey!" The boy got a little smug when the Chief told him he'd grown but the Chief randomly let him go mid-sentence and let him fall to the ground as Honon walked over to the map in the floor and sat down on the big cushion.

"Come sit, we have some issues to discuss." Honon waved to a cushion right next to him. Kaliban walked over and sat down. It was the first time he noticed them; small wooden carvings of various designs were on the map. In the Vale region there were wooden wolf heads located in the mountain area and bear heads in the forest region, representing the Haitian and Aak'kei tribes fighting forces. Where the city was located there was figures with two axes crossing each other to represent Vale forces and winged swords to represent the Atlas troops that just moved in recently. To the south east of the map there was several of the recognizable red Beowulf heads for the White Fang. However there was also an unusual piece as well; a black queen chess piece was with the White Fang and Vale pieces. Kaliban didn't know what to make of the piece because he didn't know who it belonged too.

"So, the White Fang requested your help to?" the prince looked up at the man who now lost all sense of humor and stared at the map with a straight face.

"Yes, they believe in their plan for such an assault would benefit both our kinds."

"But how did they even find your tribe, what about the mist?"

"The Captain as you've probably met had with him an ancient tribal artifact; the Eagle Compass, it is the only thing that allows outsiders to find our tribes."

"What!? How'd they get a hold of it?" Kaliban was shocked to hear that, to think something like that existing and if it got into the hands of someone of the Kingdoms then that could be very bad for the tribes.

"Relax, we gave the faunus the compass a long time ago back during the war when their troops needed to find ours to coordinate attacks without worrying about the radio channels being listened in on by spies."

"So what now?"

"Now is not the time for the tribes to resurface after all these years. If people find out that our legend was true and we still exist then that would mean their Councils have been lying to them and that could have unnecessary consequences for everyone." Honon was all steel faced, like Kaliban's mother he too wanted to protect his people and keep them from conflicts with a vastly superior force.

"How did the Captian know the caravan was coming today and know where to look for us?" Kaliban questioned still wanting an explanation.

"I didn't tell him, I even told him that even if he does find the secret gate in the mountain, the Haitians wouldn't open them even for faunus." Honon looked like he was ready to break something; he balled his fists until they turn white."When they were about to leave I saw my daughter run up to the Captain and spoke to him, she pointed up the path way your caravan would use to get into the village and ran back."

"Litonya told them we were coming."

"Yes."

"What did you do?"

"Sigh. There was nothing I could do the damage was done and the Captain was on his way. So I patiently waited until you arrived so I can discuss things with you." Honon reached down and moved several of the Atlas markers towards the White Fang markers.

"You really think Atlas knows of the attack?" Kaliban realized what the move meant and didn't like it.

"It's possible, no matter how well hidden an army is or how hard they guard their secrets there are always the possibility that you have been found out and they are prepared for you." Kaliban didn't like the way things were going, the tribes were always superior in man to man fights but with all the latest advancements in technology, with airships, naval power, mechsuits, and robots would be disastrous because the tribes had no way of countering them. True they could take out the robots and even the mechs but the air and naval support got them beat. All of his worrying caused his Chieftains Mark to glow white and wisps of mist began to flow out of the markings.

"So, you've been able to materialize your mark then." Honon noticed the glow and combed a hand through his own mark.

"Yeah, but I haven't been able to control it yet." Kaliban rubbed his mark and concentrated until the glow faded.

"Don't worry you'll figure it out and you'll use that power to protect the tribes."

"Do you know what element it will be? I asked mom but she wouldn't tell me anything."

"Well it different for each new generation, for instance your father had the power over wind. He could fly, use the wind as a weapon, and he could talk to birds." Honon explained. "My mark gives me the power over earth, I can move it, shape it, split it, and cause great destruction on the landscape. I can even form weapons out of the earth but that is a skill you will have no easy time of mastering."

"So what do you think we should do in regards to the White Fang, the Captain gave me this communicator wanting our answer in a day or so." Kaliban took out the communicator and laid it on the map. Honon look at the device with interest.

"Well we will need to send word to your mother about all this, she is after all the Grand Chief and we can't go to war without her approval."

"And Litonya?"

"Ah yes, I will have her brothers watch her very closely but for now your men need to rest and eat." Honon got up and walk out the door, Kaliban lingered a little studying the map more he wondered why there was a chess piece on the board and what faction did it belong to.


	4. Chapter 5

Treason

During the night the Haitians were feasting with the Aak'kei at the kitchen trees that had dining platforms talking with each other, competing, and some flirting. Bly was beating all challengers at arm wrestling and Aiyana was talking to some old friends, Mira on the other hand was doing her best to ignore the ten guys who surrounded her and who were doing their best to flirt with her, though she had no desire to be with any of them but indulged them as they kept bringing her sweets and meat. When Kaliban arrived she completely abandoned her suitors and walked to his side, to the irate of the boys. Kaliban continued to walk towards where Bly was, the girl turned and waved at the duo as they approached.

"How was meeting with the Chief?" she asked as she slammed another contender to the ground.

"Oh it was fine, just talked about old times." He gave a small laugh but Mira could tell he was hiding something. "Anyway what have you guys been doing since I was gone?"

"Well as you can see I've been teaching these lightweights a thing or two and Aiyana has been chatting all girly to some of the Aak'kei girls." As she was speaking; Hurritt came and walked up to Kaliban. The two just stared at each other and the Haitian tribal men and women went silent, with the Aak'kei looking on with curiosity. Aiyana saw what was happening and got up in hurry and took a few steps until. Suddenly there was a horn blast echoing through the village, everyone looked around in confusion. Then Kitchi and Nahuel came running up to Kaliban from a nearby tree.

"Kaliban, it's terribly!" Nahuel was panting from the run.

"What happened?" Kaliban became worried wondering what was so urgent.

"It's Litonya she took a group of young Aak'kei warriors into a war band is marching them southward and completely behind fathers back!" Kitchi explain, his face was red with rage.

"What!?" Kaliban was shocked, he knew how much Litonya wanted this alliance but he never thought she would do it without tribal permission

"That's not all; apparently she also managed to talk some of your warriors to go with them."

"WHAT!?" Kaliban looked around the platform in a hurry all his warriors should have been here getting dinner but he now realized with growing anxiety that about a third of the group was missing.

"Our father is leading a troop to intercept them before they get too close to the City of Vale. He also wants your help in tracking down the Haitian warriors that went with her."

"How will I be able to track them, again?"

"Father says concentrate through your Chieftains Mark and it will guide you." All the Haitian warriors that didn't go with Litonya began to gather around Kaliban waiting for orders.

"We'll split up half of you go with the Aak'kei being lead by Bly and Mira and I will lead the rest further down south to intercept them, Aiyana will stay behind and wait to see if anyone will come back when we're gone."

"What about me?" Everyone turned to look at Huritt who had his arms crossed over his chest with his viscous Butterfly Blade strapped to his waist. Kaliban thought that Huritt would be one of the ones to go with Litonya as he would also be rebelling against him as well but decided to stay for what reason he did not know.

"Sigh, fine you'll come with me and the rest to the south."

"Hmph." Kaliban looked over to where Aiyana was standing and she had a smile on her face and giving a nod showing her approval.

"Alright everyone let's head down the tree and get on the move."

"Right!" The group responded in unison as the area could now be heard with tromping feet as scores of warriors started walking down the stone steps towards their stables. The Aak'kei mode of transportation looked like normal horses but they were stronger, faster, and smarter than any horse found in the Kingdoms. The Haitians mounted their reindeer and separated into groups, Mira and Bly took theirs with Kitchi and Nahuel who took off to the east to meet up with their dad. Kaliban took his group and preceded southward, the road was long and they wouldn't be able to reach the city until day break.

Dawn was approaching just as they reached the border of the Aak'kei when they could start to see the massive wall of the city. There was a loud explosion in the distance; it was so sudden that Kaliban halted the group; he could see a plume of smoke slowly rise over the walls, _Oh buck!_ He thought_ please tell me they didn't start the assault now!_ He needed to find Litonya and her group before it was too late. He tried to concentrate on his Chieftain Mark to try to locate them but he was too worried to focus.

"_I could help you find them."_ A foreign voice started to speak inside his mind.

"_Who is this?"_

"_I can help you find them if you'll let me in." _It was strange to hear it in his head, it was less human and more like an animal with its gruffly voice. The humming from the object that was strapped to his back began again. Kaliban's mind began to clear of worry and he lifted his right arm with the glowing mark and then he knew exactly where to go. He led the group towards the gate but he began to hear buzzing sounds overhead and looked up. The sky was filled with airships surrounding the plume of smoke and he could see white things fall out of the ships; one of the drop ships made its way towards them.

Kaliban couldn't worry about the ship until he found Litonya and speaking of the Hellhound there she was Litonya like a hummingbird was darting from one Atlas soldier to another with her gun blades and a mix of Haitian and Aak'kei were fighting as well and they seemed to be getting the upper hand until a giant mech fell from the sky and landed between Litonya and the rest of her band. And that still wasn't the worst of it the drop ship that the mech came from also began to drop smaller infantry robots with powerful new guns and it didn't help that they were also being bombarded by the ship as well.

"Go now! Grab as many of our tribes men and fall back to the village. We are Tribe!" with the last phrase they charged down into the fray, weapons raised over their heads. The Atlas soldiers saw the incoming enemy reinforcements and retreated behind the gate in the side of the wall Litonya chased after them and started fighting them on the streets of Vale. Kaliban's riders began to knock down the robots while grabbing a hold of Litonya's war band hauling them onto the backs of their steeds and one by one began to retreat back into the forest. The mech fired its machine guns and rockets and the fleeing riders.

"Huritt we go to take out that mech." Kaliban yelled to the warrior riding alongside him.

"And how do you suppose we do that?"

"Got any fire bolos on you?"

"Just one."

"When we get close to it throw it at the right leg," the two warriors go just close enough so that Huritt could be as accurate as possible. He threw it with all his strength at the knee of the right leg, the bolo connected in a fiery explosion that completely severed the bottom half causing the mech to fall and land on its side. Kaliban leaped from the back of Coal and smashed his wolf hammer into the side of the cockpit completely ripping the protective canopy off its hinges revealing a shocked pilot inside. Kaliban grabbed the man by his head and threw him out of the machine; the robots began to fire at him so he duck behind the downed mech and ran to where Litonya was still fighting with the Atlas soldiers with more starting to pour into the streets. Huritt followed close behind, he twirled his Butterfly blade around and the infantry bots and sliced right through them.

"Litonya what do you think you're doing here!" Kaliban demanded as they reached her and joined the fight.

"I'm doing what is necessary, something the adults don't seem to realize and neither do you it seems." She remarked at him with coldness that he never heard of in her before.

"Litonya I've ordered all my riders to forcibly remove your war band from the field and if we don't hurry we'll be left behind and surrounded."

"What! You had no right to do that!" Litonya was angry now to the point that she even swung one of her blades at Kaliban who blocked it with his hammer. This set of the humming again as Kaliban's rage started to boil up again.

"That's it!" The boy grabbed her arm and twists it until she was on her knees and karate chopped her in the back of the neck knocking her out. Huritt got off his reindeer and help Kaliban lift her up onto it, while Coal was so spooked by the robots that she fled back into the forest. Kaliban looked at the Atlas soldiers with weapons drawn and slowly approaching them, he heard a noise behind him and saw that they were closing the gate intending to trap the trio inside the city. He took out a smoke bomb and tossed it at the incoming soldiers to obscure their view that should buy them time to escape.

Just as Kaliban was turning towards Huritt his fist connected with the side of his face knocking him to the ground the wolf hammer clattered next to him. He was in a daze blinking in and out of darkness. He saw Huritt pick up his wolf hammer and mount his reindeer and rode off through the gate but not without giving one last mockery.

"That was for the sucker punch, punk." And like a dream they were gone, the last thing Kaliban saw was Atlas soldiers peering down on him and then nothing.

Kaliban woke up tied to a chair in a small room with one light doing a poor job of lighting the place up and there was a table right in front of him as well as two other chairs. The door behind the chairs opened up to reveal two men, they both wore suits except one wore his black and carried a cane, his hair was gray and wore small eyeglasses on his face, he also had a cup of whatever that weird smell was. The other man wore a white suit and had black hair with white streaks in his sideburns showing his age, he had a square face and military structure and he did not look happy.

"Hey Salt and Pepper what's shaking?" He might as well get one last joke in while he can.

"You will address us with respect you insolent savage." Salt slammed a fist onto the table rattling it. Though after today nothing was shocking Kaliban now.

"It's all right General I'll take it from here." Pepper spoke as he sat down and took a sip looking at the boy. _General huh._

"Hmph," the General sat down next to his colleague.

"Do you know what just happened in this city?" Pepper spoke directly to the boy but it didn't seem like he cared for his answer at all.

"Yeah you got attacked."

"Do you know by whom?"

"I'm guessing the White Fang." Kaliban looked away trying to not meet the gaze of the man in black.

"Well if the White Fang were involved then they did not show themselves." Kalibans head snapped up in shock.

"Wait…..then what happened."

"It appears your friends in the White Fang lured Grimm into the city by blowing a hole into the ground." The Salty General replied with anger.

Buck poop in 3…2…1… IT'S OVER 9000!

"What the Buck!"

"Language young man!"

"Who uses Grimm to attack a city?!" Kaliban couldn't believe the White Fang would resort to something so low as to let those monsters harm people.

"You are surprised by this?" Pepper raised an eyebrow and laced his fingers together.

"Huh yeah I am."

"Are you not allies with them?"

"Well they did ask for our help in the assault on your city but that wasn't supposed to be until days later, and we had to discuss whether or not we would join them anyway."

"So you had no idea they were going to attack earlier and with Grimm?"

"No." Kaliban straightened his back and looked straight ahead.

"Then why were there warriors from your tribes attacking the northern gate?"

"A war band lead by one of ours went against the chiefs orders to wait. They attacked your wall, why at the time of the explosion I don't know, but I was to lead a group of warriors to bring them back home."

"We saw your group in action, you are quite skilled, the way you took down that Paladin left me impressed."

"Was that what that was?"

"Ozpin." Salty man growled at the man next to him because he seemed to know what is coming next.

"Do you want to come to my school?" The question hit him like a wild Ursa.

"…What?" General McSalty got up from his seat and left the room in a rage.

"I said, do you want to be in my school?"

"And why the buck would I do that."

"Because if you say you were only trying to retrieve your warriors and not wanting to get involved then I don't see why we can't be civil about this." Kaliban became instantly wary of the man, he may be ordinary looking but there was something about him that he didn't like. "Make no mistake, you will be treated as a prisoner of war and in which case you have two options." He lifted his cup to his lips and took a swig.

"Which is?" Kaliban didn't like where this is going.

"Option 1, you come to my school enroll into classes and train and fight alongside fellow class mates and due to the amount of skill you posses you will be allowed to be a solo team until we are able to find suitable team mates for you. You'll also get to see our city and people for what we truly are and if you decide to stay I have no doubt you'll make many new friends here." Is he trying to have me make friends with his students so I'll be less inclined to lead the tribes against them? More like he wants to make me his slave.

"And option 2."

"You will be handed over to the military where you'll be the subject of numerous tests and more 'unpleasant' questioning and will be forced to live in a small box for the rest of your life or until they decide your no longer a threat." Gee when he puts it that way it's kind of hard to choose.

"I'll need to think about it."

"Don't take too long, my offer won't last forever." Ozpin gave him a small tab that slid open to reveal several graphics and displays. There was a red timer at the top of the screen showing 7 days and 23 hours and was counting down. "This is your Scroll if you decide to take me up on my offer than click on the cross axe icon and I will answer, however when the timer counts down it will release a small E.M.P charge that will completely destroy the Scroll so choose quickly."

"EMP charge?"

"E.M.P"

"But it sounds a lot like."

"Sigh, I know what it sounds like." The General returned but he brought some guards with him one was red and one was blue.

"In the mean time he will be aboard a prison ship." One of the guards came up to him and took out a bottle and sprayed green mist on his face.

"Gah! What the buuuuucck…..zzzzzzz." The effect was immediate in knocking him out.

He came too again but this time in the smallest room he has ever seen and was lying on a bench. Only a couple inches in front of him was a door that he tried to opened but couldn't. He banged on it with all his might but he just ended up bruising his knuckles.

"Whoa whoa whoa, what's this? Looks like a new neighbor moved in next door and oh what's that I didn't bring any gift baskets what a shame." A charismatic voice came from the left of his cell.

"Who are you?" Kaliban questioned.

"Didn't I just say; we're next door neighbors, jeez keep up with the times kid."

"Why are you in here?"

"Oh you mean little old me, well let's just say I'm in the middle of a very important operation."

"Yeah right."

"Don't believe, well that's fine I wouldn't believe me either." Kaliban didn't like his tone but since he was obviously the only other inmate since no one else is speaking up he'll try to see if the stranger has any plan for escape.

"I suppose you got a master plan to get out of here?"

"Hey your pretty sharp for a kid, I like that." He gave a soft laugh through the wall of the cell. "Say I got a proposition for you."

"Which is?" Another deal what is this? Buy two deals from a principal and get one free from a stranger in a cell?

"Well if you're willing to wait I could have us both out of here in no time provided you come work for me now." His voice went low and sinister and Kaliban didn't like it at all. If he accepted the strangers deal then his honor would demand him to work with him until his debt was repaid.

"Hmm, and what will I be doing exactly?"

"Oh the job gets a little dangerous but what I hear you're from those ancient tribes up north so you should be able to handle it." How did he know that!

"So what will it be Mountain Boy?"


End file.
